Furlough leave

evetomlinson

Wondering if anybody can provide me with some advice with my situation please...

I have been furloughed since April, receiving 80% of my wage and it has been extended again until 31/07/2020. My query is regarding staff, as myself and 7 other staff members in the company I work for are on furlough and since our furlough leave my company have hired a new starter who started on the 6th July 2020. Is this acceptable? I’m slightly frustrated as I’m confused as to how they can keep us on furlough and then hire a new staff member instead of honouring their employees loyalty and bringing us back first? Sorry if it’s me just being silly but I think it’s wrong and could do with someone’s advice who knows what they’re talking about. 

Thank you. 

gary83

entirely within the rules, perhaps not within the spirit but there’s no fraud, the company are claiming the money and passing it directly to you.

unholyangel

Depends on circumstances. If the new worker has perhaps been hired to get them trained up for you all returning, or has been hired on a casual/zero hours basis because the employer doesn't have enough steady work to guarantee your hours, then it wouldn't be an abuse of the scheme necessarily. If they could have brought you back but instead chose to employ someone else to do your job under the same terms, that would likely be an abuse under the new rules - which state the purpose is to cover costs where employment activities of the employee are disrupted by covid and that no claim may be made if it doesn't align with that purpose.